<ARTICLE>     UT
<LEGEND>
  THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM
  THE STATEMENT OF INCOME, STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS, BALANCE SHEET, AND
  STATEMENT OF COMMON STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
  ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>         0000201533
<NAME>        CONSUMERS POWER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER>  1,000,000
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                       4,396    
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                       726    
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                            579 
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        1,197    
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                      0 
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  6,898 
<COMMON>                                          841    
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                         504    
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                               326    
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                  1,701    
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                             100 
<PREFERRED>                                       356 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                            1,473  
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                340 
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                         403  
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                      0 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      60  
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                           0 
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                        89  
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                   37  
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                  2,369   
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                   6,898 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                       2,740
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                              125  
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      2,272   
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      2,406    
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                           334   
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                  0   
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                    343   
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                          113    
<NET-INCOME>                                      230 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        27   
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                     203   
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          114   
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           0    
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                            458   
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       0 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       0